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189182

Theory and practice in early modern physics

Stillman Drake

pp. 15-30

Abstract

From the time of Aristotle to that of Galileo, physics had remained pure theory unmixed with knowledge gained from experience. Mechanics as a mixed science being regarded as subordinate and inferior to physics, the concept of a domain for the practice of physics did not exist until the seventeenth century. The practice of astronomy existed separately from the science of cosmology, and a certain tension between them held ever since Hipparchus and Geminus. A similar tension had held since antiquity between music theorists and practitioners of music. The same is true of architecture and hydraulics. But physics, by Aristotle's definitions, had no practical component.

Publication details

Published in:

Gavroglu Kostas, Christianidis Jean, Nicolaidis Efthymios (1994) Trends in the historiography of science. Dordrecht, Springer.

Pages: 15-30

DOI: 10.1007/978-94-017-3596-4_2

Full citation:

Drake Stillman (1994) „Theory and practice in early modern physics“, In: K. Gavroglu, J. Christianidis & E. Nicolaidis (eds.), Trends in the historiography of science, Dordrecht, Springer, 15–30.